The Space Empress He Craved

Chapter 52

POV: Lyra

In the dining facility, after having our nutrient intake, Orion and I were speaking to Juan and the others when Orion got confirmation through his neural implant that the rogue Lyrokan was conscious but rather disoriented because of lack of hydration and bio-nutrients. He wouldn't be fit enough to be interrogated yet so we had to wait for the med-tech team to give clearance.

Lord Yarrington approached me and asked if there were anymore Kaelari who had an opinion on education protocols because he found his previous discussion with the three Kaelari I'd introduced to him very useful.

I knew of two more, and told the education minister that many would want a say in the matter but are, sadly, not Commanders, Partners or Combat Specialists so they weren't at this particular collaboration summit. I got him to record the contact frequencies of a few others I knew of, and promised to get in touch with them first to give them a heads-up on the minister's holo-call. Orion later told me that he had never seen Yarrington so excited about government affairs.

"Excuse me, Your Eminence." Pierre Whitlaw's voice came from the side when I had just finished speaking to Yarrington.

Orion and I turned to see him with another minister, who looked about the same age as him—both with the dulled pathways of older Lyrokans. Orion's voice was stern as he addressed the deputy minister, "Yes, Whitlaw?"

The old Lyrokan looked at Orion and said, "Oh, I was referring to the Empress, my Emperor. Apologies for the miscommunication."

I put on an emotionless face, my skin deliberately shifting to neutral grey. "What is it, minister?"

He faked a smile, his pathways flickering insincerely, "I wanted to apologize. If the Empress is willing, I'll do my best to make amends."

I started pressing him, "For what?"

Whitlaw's fake smile fell, replaced by genuine surprise, his pathways shifting to confused yellow. "Pardon?"

I explained simply, "You mentioned you would make amends, but for what in particular, minister? Is it for not doing your job, for what you said to me as a Combat Specialist for the past few cycles, or merely for what you said to me as the Emperor's match this morning?"

Whitlaw began to feel uneasy, his pathways dimming, "Uhh..well…"

I wasn't backing down. "So the apology is for the Emperor. It's not really for me, is it? Or is it not for the Emperor either. It's just for whoever sits on the throne?"

Whitlaw was still lost for words. I faked a small smile and said, "You seem a bit confused, minister. Tell you what, I'll tell you the same thing I told Greg Claw — I will believe it when I see it. Until you act like an actual minister and look after the people you're supposed to, don't expect me to believe that you are making amends."

His confidante, the other old Lyrokan suddenly bowed and spoke cautiously, "Forgive my intrusion, Your Eminences. But the deputy minister was going to express his concern for you, my Empress." He then smiled and said, "My Empress, allow me to introduce myself, I am…"

"You're Lord Caunterberg, the Minister of Health and Welfare, I know." I responded nonchalantly, my skin remaining that deliberate grey.

He seemed encouraged, his pathways brightening slightly, "Well, it's an honour to be known by the Empress herself before an introduction."

I remained unperturbed. "I wouldn't call it an honour if I were you, minister. I will explain how I came about knowing you. But seeing that you were so supportive of Whitlaw expressing his concern, I shall let you speak first."

The two ministers glanced at one another, their pathways flickering with nervous communication, before Lord Caunterberg spoke, "We didn't see Your Eminences at the mid-cycle break. Was anything the matter?"

Orion wondered if the two ministers knew something about their visit to the audit department but when he saw my unperturbed expression, he decided to appear equally emotionless, his pathways deliberately neutral.

I gave a faint nod and said, "Yes, there was. I had to attend a med-tech appointment to have my condition checked after the incident at Jewel Station. Thankfully, everything is fine."

The two of them glanced at each other. Both tried to hide their surprise with my answer but were too slow to mask their pathways' reaction—flaring briefly with shock. I smirked and asked, "Ministers, is there a problem? You two seem like I've just said something unexpected, though I can't fathom why. Everyone knows that I was in the alliance battle, and that I was the most injured. A med-tech appointment would be anything but unexpected."

"N-No, my Empress. We…we just expected you to say that you were spending time with the Emperor, perhaps." Lord Caunterberg tried to make up a viable excuse but even Orion could see through his terrible attempt—his pathways were practically screaming deception.

I gave a small smile, my skin shifting to predatory silver. "Well then, I'm sorry to have disappointed you. But the Emperor was with me during the check-up so I suppose you're not completely wrong. Now, let me tell you how I know you, Lord Caunterberg."

"Well, if the Empress insists." Caunterberg smiled graciously but Whitlaw's pathways were already darkening with dread about what was about to happen next.

I smiled with a murderous glint in my multifaceted eyes and said, "You came up to me last cycle when I attended this very collaboration as a Combat Specialist. Do you remember what you asked me at that time?"

Caunterberg's pathways went completely pale—almost transparent with shock, his face turning white but his feet couldn't move. Whitlaw observed his friend freeze in fear, and could only pray that he himself would be spared from my wrath.

I observed the old Lyrokan and said, "Your silence is quite worrying, Lord Caunterberg. Let me refresh your memory. You asked me how much I charged for, in your words, 'a night of neural connection'."

Orion's purple pathways turned midnight black almost immediately, the temperature dropping as he glared straight at Caunterberg. I pressed my hand over his that was secured at my waist, sending calming neural pulses, hoping to contain him for a few more moments.

I then continued, "And, I just want Your Lordship to know that I don't take it personally." I waited for that glimmer of hope to appear in the old Lyrokan's pathways before I crushed it by saying, "Because you've said it to more Kaelari than I can count. There were even numerous times where you asked a Commander's Partner! But despite the harassment complaints we submitted through the proper channels, you're still here, alive and well, standing as our Minister of Health and Welfare. Well, I guess you can't really expect welfare complaints made against the Welfare Minister to be taken seriously by the Welfare Minister himself."

Caunterberg looked like his neural pathways were about to shut down completely, while Whitlaw had already retreated to the side to seek refuge with Cummings, leaving Caunterberg all by himself.

I felt Orion's radiating anger through our bond—pure rage flooding our connection. He was about to lose it. As that thought came to me, Orion's growl reverberated through the facility, louder and fiercer than I'd ever heard before. The room fell silent. Some of those in attendance dropped their hydration cylinders, shuddering from fear and shock at the sight of their Emperor's pathways going completely black, his body beginning to transform. The Kaelari were especially petrified, knowing full well that once a Lyrokan goes full nova [enters combat transformation], our species has little chance of surviving an attack.

Oh void. Not here. Not now.

Through our bond, I could feel his Lyrokan consciousness taking over, the primal part of him that wanted to destroy anyone who had ever threatened or disrespected his match. The temperature in the room plummeted as frost began forming on the walls.